Bottle capper



'0.3. JOHNSON.

l BOTTLE CAPPER. APPLICATION FILED OCT: II. 192|.

Patented' Feb. 2 8, 1922.

INVENTOR.

A TT ORNE Y.

UNITED sTA'rss PATENT OFFiIQJE.

SLAB/ENCE S. JOHNSON', OF FREDERCK, BTARYLAND, ASSGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO E.R. SNOOK, OF FREDERICK, MARYLAND.

BOTTLE CAPPER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

ateiitcd Feb. 28, 1922.

Application filed October 11, 19271. Serial No. 506,945.

T0 @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, CLARENCE i5. JOHNSON, a citizen of the UnitedStates5 residing at Frederick, in the county of Frederick and State ofMaryland, have invented'certain new and useful improvements in BottleCappers, of which the followingk is a specification.

This invention relates to bottle cappers and vmore particularly to handoperated devices of this character.

The object of the invention is to provide a bottle capper so constructedas to permit of its being quickly adjusted for capping bottles ofdifferent heights.

Another object is to provide'a device of this character composed ofrelatively few parts arranged so as to be effective in operation, cheapto manufacture, not easy to break and capable of being folded compactlywhen not in use. A

Vith these and other objects in view, the

invention consists in certain-novel features of construction yashereinafter shown, described and claimed. n

In the accompanying drawing 1"- Figure 1 represents a side elevation ofthe capper constituting this invention the parts being shown in fulllines foruse in connection with tall bottles and in dotted lines for usein connection with short bottles; and

AFig. 2 is a top plan view thereof.

In the embodiment illustrated a suitable base 1 is provided equippedwith a suitabie bottle holding portion 2 preferably'shaped as shown andhaving a curved rib 3 of suitable shape to aid in retaining the bottleon the base. The rib 3 is preferably made integral with the base 1, andsaid base is also equipped with iadiallv extending apertured ears 4 forsecuring it to a support. an integral boss 5 is arranged between one ofthe ears 4 and the periphery of the base 1 can ries a standard 6. Thisstandard 6 may be either fixedly or removably mounted on the boss 5being here shown removable by means of set screw 5 to facilitate theseparation of the parts for storing them in a small space,v

The standard 6 is substantially T-shaped in cross section and the upperend 7 thereof is off-set inwardly with a shoulder 8 formed at its innerend for a purpose presently to be described.

The ribs 9 extend along the inner edge of the lower portion 6 ofthestandar-d and along the gouter edge of the upper portion 7 thereofsaid ribs operating as reinforces for the standard at the lower portionthereof and'at the upper portion as guides for the capping memberpresently to be described. The front edge of the upper portion 7 of thestandard is equipped with a plurality of teeth forming a rack 10 alongsaid edge and which is designed to cooperate with the aetuating memberof a eapper member presently to be described.

A'capper carrying member 11 is mounted to slide on the rack portion 7 ofthe standard 6 and is shownv constructed of a single she-et of metal"folded longitudinally and shaped to conform to the shape of the member 7of the standard so that it will slide freely thereon, the ribsof saidmember 7 operating as guides for the member 11. Extending in parallelrelation from the sliding portion 12 of the member 11 on opposite sidesof the member 7 are two plates 13 and let between which is fulcruinedmidway their length a handle member 15 which carries at its inner end ahead 16 mounted to swing between the plates 13 and 1li on a pivot 18which is spaced sufliciently distant from the teeth 10 yofthe rack sothat the teeth 18a of head 1G,

which are of suitable size and shape to mesh with the teeth of the rack10, may be thrown entirely out of engagement with the teeth ofthe rackby swinging the handle 15 to or past a vertical position thus permittingof readily adjusting the position of the member 11 relative to base 1 bymerely lifting or lowering handle 15 and its attached parts to permit ofthe teeth 1Sa of head 16 beingswung into engagement with thel teeth ofthe rack. at such point as is desired to bring-'the capper 2O carried bythe member 11 to the appropriate height for capping a particularrbottleor to adjust it to a different height.

with registering apertures for the reception ot' the bolt 21 which isemployed for connecting the capper 2O with the member 11. The aperturesin the ends of the plates which lie iiush or in transverse alinementwith the end portion of the slide 12`are designed to receive the capper2O when the device is to be used in connection` with tall bottles. lVhenit is to be used with shorter bottles the member 11 is reversed von theshank portion Y as is shown clearly in dotted lines in 1 and the capper20 is engaged with this reversed end by passing the fastening` screw 21through the aperture -22 in the extension ot the plates 13 and y 14 andthrough the shank 19 ot the capper which is mounted between. said platesas shown clearly in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The member 12 is limited inits downward movement by engagement with the stop shoulder 8 on standardG.

ln the use ot this eapper a bottle is placed on the base 1 as shown indotted lines in Fig. 1 and the cap to be applied to the bottle is forcedfirmly onto the mouth of the bottle by the capper 2O as thehandle 15` isswung downward, the teeth 18a meshing with the teeth of the rack.

By tilting' the handle 15 to or past a vertical position the teeth 18aof the head 16 may be thrown out of mesh with theteeth ot the rack andthe member 11 may be then 'freely moved up and down on the portion 7 otthe standard 6 and ii desired may be taken off and reversed to bring itin the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1 Jfor use in connection withShort bottles. When this handle is so swung into vertical position theparts attached thereto may be entirely removed from the standard 6 topermit of storing or shipping the `device in compact disassembled butassociated relation.

From the above description it will be obvious that the gist of thisinvention resides in the peculiar construction of the member 11 toprovide for its reversibility to adapt it for use in connection withtall or short bottles.

The formation of the member 11 from a' single piece of sheet metalprovides a simple and cheaply constructed member of this character andalso one which is strong and durable.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed in the drawingsand set forth in the specification, but it will be understood that anymodifications within the scope of the claimed invention may be made inthe construction without departing from the principle of the inventionor sacricing any of its advantages.

I claim 1. In a bottle capper, the combination of a standard having arack portion, supporting means for said standard, a capper car-v ryingmember slidably mounted on said rack portion and including a pair oflaterally spaced plates, a handle pivotally mounted between said platesmidway their ends and having aV segmental toothed head on the in ner endthereof adapted to be thrown into or out of engagement with the rack,said member having capper receiving means at its opposite ends onopposite sides of said handle.

2. In a bottlev capper, the combination of a base shaped to receive abottle, a standard rising from said base, and having an upstanding rackportion inwardly otf-set from vthe body portion thereof and provided atits inner end with a stop shoulder, a capper member slidably mounted onsaid rackportion and composed of a sheet metal plate foldedlongitudinally intermediate its width, the folded portion being shapedto conform to the rack portion and slidable thereon, a handle memberarranged between the free edges of said plate and pivotally connectedtherewith midway the length of the plate, said handle having a headprojecting inwardly and provided with teeth to cooperate with the teethof the rack for. raising and lowering the sliding member on `theoperation of the handle, and a capper removably mounted on said`.sliding member and adapted to be carried by either end thereof toprovide for the use of the device in connection with either tall orshort bottles. p

In testimony whereof, I ailix my signature hereto.

VCLARENCE S. JOHNSON.

